Eastern Tennessee Thread

[littlechicklet]

Awwwww. They look right at home.

You should have seen my broody when I got back. She was sitting on her little splash chick, glaring at me. It's like she was saying, "I just DARE you to try to take this one!"

I am glad I was not there when you took them from her. I don't know that I would have the heart to do it but I am glad you did at least this one time. They are doing great so far. I think one of the blue ones is a little smaller than the others (maybe hatched later) and the blacks are getting feathers on their wings. So far all pasty butt checks have been clear.

I am new to the Orps all the way around but I can tell a difference in the chicks. I am not sure if I can describe it correctly but it seem the English have: bigger chests and legs, their heads shaped different and their eyes seem bigger/rounder. This is what I see so far.

Thanks again.

 

[littlechicklet]

I am leaning towards them both being boys.

B is definitely a boy and A is looking like a slower-to-develop boy to me. I hope I'm wrong!

I am with you but will hold out hope until he gets spurs or drops an egg!

 

[littlechicklet]

Sorry I have been gone so long.
Have had a LOT going on in personal life.
Had not been on in over two weeks even to keep up.
Took forever to catch up on everyones post.

To all the newcomers I want to welcome you to our FAMILY.
I said family because this is not just a forum or group.
We are like family to each other. We share our worries.
We share our joys. We share experiences.
We share so very much.

@bario and stang, my guess on 100,000 views is November 22, @ 9:45 pm.

@barnqueen, Sorry that you have not caught that varmit yet.
Sounds like we need to bait and then several of us get to get together and show off our handheld home defense. I know that you do NOT like to harm and creature but sometimes it becomes a nessary evil.

@bario, I keep trying to win the lottery, to be able to build the "Dream" coop. I like the way you think but IF (and that is a BIG IF) you are going to have to think MUCH BIGGER. Don't forget that I have A LOT of different breeds.

@bario when is the fall show is in Newport. I had it somewhere but I lost it.

I am also glad to hear that TSC in Morristown is going to hold a sales event. We have needed something like that in our area for quiet some time.

@Sistachick, I agree that the first one is male and the other two are female.

@littlechicklet, but I can not tell on the two you are showing, they are in my can not tell age range.
Look at the inside if their leggs and see if there are little bumps starting to form, a sure sign of males.
Also the best trucks are "Priceless" but they are great to have around.

@grawg, Love the pics, like the ducks but sorry you can not turn be back to the duck side. Not sure if I told you or not but years ago my mom had over 300 and I kinda got burnt out on them. I suppose we had the wrong breeds because they did not lay eggs that well. It was so long ago the I do not even remember which breeds we did have.

@15littlem, I have Marans, two breeds but do not have anything for sell right now. Well I suppose I would sell my breed stock. I have a quad of French Black Marans, that I would consider selling. These are 3rd generation Bev Davis.

Glad to see you back. I will check their legs tomorrow and hopefully update pics on them.

 

[hobbychicken]

I want to come to the poultry show in cocke county. I know it's at the fair grounds but what is the date again. not to show( have no clue how) but to observe..

 

[Talbott Poultry]

OK, I finally found some information on the fall show in Newport.

http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Tennessee.html

November 10th

 

[bairo]

OK, I finally found some information on the fall show in Newport.

http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/Tennessee.html

November 10th

I want to come to the poultry show in cocke county. I know it's at the fair grounds but what is the date again. not to show( have no clue how) but to observe..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/698527/shows-near-eastern-tn

 

[aurissavannahs]

I don't post often, but I feel I have to now. I wanted to warn anyone visiting the TVA & I Fair or showing chickens at the fair to be very careful when they return home. Practice careful biosecurity! As soon as I got home I sprayed my shoes with disinfectent, put my clothes directly into the washer, and took a shower so I would not take any diseases to my chickens.

At the fair I saw some lovely well cared for chickens which I would have enjoyed greatly except that caged right next to the healthy birds were some obviously sick chickens. There were lots of sick chickens all over the room all owned by the same person. Some of the chickens were standing not moving with their heads drooping, some were laying with their heads hidden under their wings. I have had chickens for over 40 years and these chickens obviously felt bad. Some had combs as white as snow (roosters and hens) which is usually a sign of heavy parasite infestation producing anemia. Many of his chickens were also in very poor feather which may be caused by poor health or poor hygiene. I know poor feather condition may also be caused by feather picking or normal molting which are not catching, but what ever the cause for the poor feather quality it saddened me to see some rare and beautiful breeds represented to the general public in such poor condition. In contrast the other chickens, rabbits, cattle, and sheep that were also being shown today that were so well groomed and in such good condition I felt saddened this one person made the chicken exhibit look so bad.

 

[littlechicklet]

I don't post often, but I feel I have to now. I wanted to warn anyone visiting the TVA & I Fair or showing chickens at the fair to be very careful when they return home. Practice careful biosecurity! As soon as I got home I sprayed my shoes with disinfectent, put my clothes directly into the washer, and took a shower so I would not take any diseases to my chickens.

At the fair I saw some lovely well cared for chickens which I would have enjoyed greatly except that caged right next to the healthy birds were some obviously sick chickens. There were lots of sick chickens all over the room all owned by the same person. Some of the chickens were standing not moving with their heads drooping, some were laying with their heads hidden under their wings. I have had chickens for over 40 years and these chickens obviously felt bad. Some had combs as white as snow (roosters and hens) which is usually a sign of heavy parasite infestation producing anemia. Many of his chickens were also in very poor feather which may be caused by poor health or poor hygiene. I know poor feather condition may also be caused by feather picking or normal molting which are not catching, but what ever the cause for the poor feather quality it saddened me to see some rare and beautiful breeds represented to the general public in such poor condition. In contrast the other chickens, rabbits, cattle, and sheep that were also being shown today that were so well groomed and in such good condition I felt saddened this one person made the chicken exhibit look so bad.

Thank you for the heads up. I will probably not be going to the fair but if I do/did I always go to the animal exhibits.

Is there such a thing as "Chicken Mills" where people buy rare breeds & over breed, not care for them properly and sell large quantities to try and make lots of money? And do these people some times keep their "show exhibits" separate in better condition? I am curious since all I have ever had were hatchery or mutt chickens until now.

 

[tennesseeckn]

I don't have any experience with orps bred to APA standards, but hear that the English are a lot wider. I think the English orps call for a smaller head than the American standard, and I really like broader heads on a bird. That's the only thing about the English standard I don't think I'll shoot for.

It's entirely possible that the blue is a later hatch. Especially if you are talking about the lighter blue. The first time I saw it was when it was out exploring the world.

As far as chicken mills... unfortunately they are around. There's a local guy who buys birds and takes them to swaps and keeps them in horrible conditions. There are others, too. You can look at the BYC auction page and see pretty quickly who ALWAYS has auctions up for up to ten different breeds.

I think it would be incredibly hard to raise birds responsibly AND earn your living with them.

 

[Talbott Poultry]

As far as chicken mills... unfortunately they are around. There's a local guy who buys birds and takes them to swaps and keeps them in horrible conditions. There are others, too. You can look at the BYC auction page and see pretty quickly who ALWAYS has auctions up for up to ten different breeds.

I think it would be incredibly hard to raise birds responsibly AND earn your living with them.

I for one have several different breeds, all seperated into different pens, to prevent crosses, unless desired.
But I do try to breed to standard and ALWAYS cull lower quality, I have a couple from Knoxville that buys my extra roos and culls, strictly for the table.
I do have a line of Bantams that I call "Barn Yard", I have no ideal of their heritage and do NOT claim them to be good stock, just healthy.
I sure DO NOT make a living off chickens, probably in the last 3 years I have went into the red at least 2000.00.
It would be nice to break even sometimes.

I have purchased birds from the kind of breeders that you are talking about.
Usually I bring them home and keep them awhile and try to make them healthy again.
Mostly, I do this cause I have a soft heart when it comes to abused or neglected animals.
I suppose that is the reason I NEVER go to auctions and hate going to flea markets because there is so many there from "Mills"
I have found some good birds at the FM but it is seldom. As a rule of thumb, if it sounds like a good deal, STAY AWAY.
Good breeders that sell at FM usually DO NOT bring their good stuff and you have to go to their locations to get the good stuff.

There are a few good places to buy. Small animal sales, like the one TSC of Morristown is having next week.
Actual shows like fairs, but like @aurissavannahs said there is always someone who sneaks in with sub standard stuff.